Fan rituals in the South have a language of their own. And nothing captures the emotional voltage of a star’s first-day-first-show quite like the ritual of doodh abhishekam. But what happens when your favourite icon, in this case Ajith Kumar, begins endorsing a fizzy drink? You adapt. You improvise. You add bubbles.
There’s fizz in the story
During the first-day-first-show celebrations of Mankatha’s re-release, the beloved ritual of paal abhishekam came with a twist: bottles of cola replaced the customary milk. The plot twist within the plot twist? Ajith, who famously dodged brand endorsements for decades as a personal principle, is now associated with the beverage through his motorsport venture. Fans argue the switch mirrors the actor’s recent racing-related promotions and, more practically, supports funding for his motorsport ambitions. In other words, devotion met branding and decided to collaborate.
Soda for the win
Across social media, many users cheered the change, pointing out that showering statues with cola is still dramatic, far more photogenic, and significantly better than wasting gallons of milk.